What role do businesses play?

What role do business premises play in the CBD emergency plan?

Business premises have a vital role in ensuring it has developed its own crisis management plans and has a capacity to work in with the Brisbane CBD Emergency Plan.  The Plan was developed with the following business related assumption:

• all buildings in the CBD have in place an accurate and practiced Fire and Evacuation Plan adhering to the requirements of the Fire and Rescue Service Act 1990 and Australian Standards AS3745 and AS4801 (Emergency Management Plans) and other statutory requirements; and
• building managers and fire wardens play a crucial role in regards to a business being prepared and able to respond and recover in the event of an emergency or crisis.

Building Managers

To assist emergency services, CBD building managers are requested to ensure:

• their building has a Fire and Evacuation Plan which complies with AS3745 and the Fire and Rescue Service Act 1990;
• these plans are adapted to the Brisbane CBD Emergency Plan;
• evacuation plans include advice detailing how information regarding an evacuation will be disseminated from the Chief Fire Warden to occupants of the building; and
• that these plans are regularly exercised as required by law.

The three key requirements for businesses for preparing for and responding to an emergency in the Brisbane CBD are:

1)  Ability to receive and deliver effective and timely communications in the event of an emergency defined as the:

a. ability to receive timely external communications;

b. ability to effectively communicate internally to staff; and

c. effective communications to staff in preparation for an emergency.

2)  Understanding and adoption of the four (4) Control Measures which may be issued by Emergency Services:

a. immediate evacuation

b. shelter-in-place;

c. mass evacuate (including activation of emergency support site/s for those who require assistance); and

d. business as usual.

3)  All staff having personal emergency plans to reflect their individual situations and requirements in an emergency e.g. childcare arrangements, special needs, medication, roles in crisis management or business continuity management teams:

a. preparing a documented, tested personal emergency plan; and

b. preparing a Personal Readiness Emergency Pack (PRE-Packs).

Each of these requirements, essential for the safe and orderly management of an emergency in the Brisbane CBD and need to be embedded into the strategies, plans and procedures for each business’s on-site emergency.